


Survival

by Rekall



Category: FF (Comics)
Genre: Aftermath of an Attack, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Searching for Someone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-17
Updated: 2014-03-17
Packaged: 2018-01-16 02:54:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1329196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rekall/pseuds/Rekall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the aftermath of Thanos' attack on NYC, Scott finds himself separated from Darla. As he searches for Darla among the destruction, he can't help but think of Cassie and be reminded that he will never see her again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Survival

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tigrrmilk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigrrmilk/gifts).



The city burned around Scott. Everywhere he looked buildings laid in ruins from the result of Thanos' attack. There was more though; strange pods had encased random people. Scott still didn't know what to think about that. A strange mist had appeared and in its wake had left the pods. Nothing made sense. All Scott knew was it seemed like in such a short time everything had gone crazy.

It seemed liked everyone needed help. All around him there were people who needed his aid. Scott tried the best he could but his thoughts were elsewhere. With a shake of his head, he tried forcing those thoughts away. He needed to focus. Needed to help. He couldn't be distracted. Couldn't do the one thing he wanted to do and that was find Darla.

When the attack first began, Darla had been by his side. At some point however they had been separated and Scott hadn't seen her for hours. He tried not to be worried - he knew Darla could take care of herself - but he couldn't help it. All the death and destruction only reminded him of how much he had already lost. He didn't want to lose Darla too. Lately he was really starting to fall for her.

Things had been going well between them. Slow, but well. Darla knew about what happened to Cassie. Knew that he was still recovering from that. It was impossible for a parent to get over the death of their child, but Darla had been a welcoming distraction. She knew though that things had to move slowly. It made Scott love her even more.

After helping the people around him the best he could, Scott moved on heading towards the Baxter Building. He knew that would be the first place Darla would go when trouble was about. If he was lucky it would be where he would find her. He didn't want to think about what would happen if he was unlucky.

"Help!" a voice cried out. It was a voice that Scott could not ignore. He knew it too well; it was a father's voice. One panicky and afraid. Just like a father would sound if something had happened to his child.

Scott found the man standing in front of what use to be an apartment building. The building had crumbled into the street. It would be a miracle if anyone inside had survived. More casualties due to the attack of a mad man.

"You have to help," the man begged as Scott approached. 

Fear was written across the man's face. It wasn't surprising. Everyone Scott had encountered that day was experiencing the same emotion. Earth had been attacked. Under normal circumstances it would have been bad enough but this last attack had happened while most of the Avengers were off world. There had been few left who could save anyone. Even Scott had felt helpless but that didn't mean he didn't have a job to do. 

"My daughter!" the man cried. "My Rebecca; she's trapped!"

They were words which Scott expected but ones he didn't want to hear. He looked again at what was left of the building. It wasn't good. The building had mostly collapsed. The only chance of survival was if someone had been in the basement or if they were lucky found themselves in an air pocket as the building had come down. Still though, Scott couldn't ignore the man. He knew all too well what it was like being in the man's position. If there was a chance his daughter was alive, Scott would rescue her.

"I'll find her." 

Shrinking down in size, Scott made his way among the ruins of the building. He knew he had to hurry but also he needed to be careful. More of the rumble could collapse at any moment. Being cautious while at the same time trying to be speedy was not an easy task, especially while small. There was no way however for Scott to grow until he found a spot with more room.

Squeezing his way through a gap so tiny that even in his small state it was a tight squeeze, Scott found himself in what was left of an apartment. By some miracle the walls were somehow still half-standing, which in turn were barely up the ceiling from collapsing. Off to the side, curled up with her face to her knees was a blonde-headed girl.

"Cassie!" Scott cried; unable to help himself. 

The girl lifted her head. "Is someone there?"

Scott sighed with relief. Despite the blonde hair, she looked nothing like Cassie. The eyes were a the wrong colour and she was too young. That would make things easier. If she resembled Cassie, Scott wasn't sure he would be able to concentrate. It would bring back too many bad memories. Memories of Cassie and memories of how he had failed to protect her.

"Rebecca?" Scott asked as he grew to a normal size. He had to kneel or else his head would touch the sloping ceiling. "Are you Rebecca?"

The girl stared at Scott with wide eyes and nodded her head. "Are you a real superhero?"

Scott ignored the question. It wasn't one he wanted to answer. Not when there was so much destruction around them and he had been able to do nothing to help. Just like he had been unable to help when Cassie had died. "I'm going to get you out of here, Rebecca. Just wait here for a minute while I find us a way out."

"Okay."

There was no way for them to go out the way Scott had came in. Scott needed to find an alternative route and he felt that he had an idea. Shrinking again, Scott climbed upward through a gap in the ceiling. His hunch had been right when poked through the gap and found sunlight. Through the ceiling was their escape to freedom.

Returning to the room below, Scott found Rebecca where he had left her. Growing to his normal size, Scott picked Rebecca up. She was so light and small. "Close your eyes and try not to be scared by what's happening. I promise, I'll get you out of here. Your father is waiting for you."

"I trust you, Mr. Superhero!"

Hunching over to protect Rebecca, Scott began to grow at a steady pace. His shoulders hit the ceiling. It buckled, wanting to stay in place but soon gave away as Scott continued to grow, puncturing their way to freedom.

Climbing out of the rubble, Scott placed his hand to the ground and opened it. Rebecca hopped off and ran straight to her father's arms for a hug. As he shrunk back to a normal size, Scott turned his attention away. It was too hard to watch. He would never get a happy reunion with Cassie. 

Moving on away from the father and daughter, Scott forced himself to shift his thoughts back to Darla. He needed to focus on her. Cassie was lost to him but Darla was not. If anything were to happen to her too, he wouldn't know what he would do. Darla was happiness.

Scott managed to get a few more blocks without interruption. His eyes fell upon the Baxter Building, which was straight in front of him even though it was still a few blocks away. He really hoped Darla was there. If not, he didn't know where to look next.

Hurrying through an intersection - it wasn't like there was any traffic around to stop him - Scott was so focused on his task that he almost didn't hear his name as it was called out.

"Scott!"

Skidding to a halt, a giant weight lifted from Scott's shoulders. He knew that voice; it was Darla. She was alive. And while there was fear in her voice, she didn't sound hurt. 

Turning, he saw her standing near one of the giant pods which were found every which way around the city ever since the strange mist had come and gone. Darla was still wearing her exoskeleton suit and while there was a concerned look on her face but she appeared healthy and fine. Quickly, Scott hurried over to her.

"Scott, I need your help," Darla said as he approached her. 

Scott wanted to embrace her. Take her in his arms and never let her go. But he knew he couldn't do that. There was still too much to do and there was something seriously bothering Darla. Any happy reunion would have to wait until later.

"Are you okay?" That was his main concern.

"Yes," Darla said as she indicated to the pod behind her. "But the woman I was with; something happened to her and I can't get her out."

Scott inspected the pod. He hadn't had the opportunity to see one of them up close as there always had been too much else going on. It was nothing like he had seen before. He ran his hands along the surface. It had an odd texture and there didn't seem any way to open it.

"Should we try smashing it?"

Scott shook his head. That seemed like a bad idea. "I don't think we should do anything."

"But the woman," Darla protested, "I was helping her."

Scott could sympathize. It was hard when helping people turned out bad. It wasn't Darla's fault though. There was nothing she could have done. It was the mist. It had done something to them. Something strange.

"We need to study it," Scott said. "Reed might have an idea on what to do."

Darla lowered her head. "I guess you're right. I just feel so helpless. I didn't even know her name."

"She'll be okay," Scott said and he hoped he was right. There was still too much they didn't know about the pods to say for sure. "We'll find a way to help her."

Raising her head, Darla stared at the destruction around. "Scott, how do we recover from this?"

Scott didn't know but he wasn't going to tell Darla that. "We'll find a way. We always do."

* * *

Scott stood back from the crowd as he watched Darla on the stage. It was hard to see her from his vantage point but that was okay. He was glad the benefit concert had turned out so well. A large crowd had come out in support. It was good to see the city bouncing back. 

In the crowd he could see Rebecca on her father's shoulders. He remembered doing the same to Cassie when she was young. A smile formed on his face, even if the memory made him a bit sad. Cassie would always be with him. Remembering the good times made things easier. Death and destruction just made him think of how things ended.

On the stage, Darla's set finished and the next act came out. Scott quickly lost interest even though they weren't bad. He wanted to find Darla but they agreed beforehand that she would find him when she had finished. That was he was staying put. It was their agreed upon spot. If he moved, Darla would have trouble finding him.

The act following Darla was almost over when she emerged from the crowd. She had showered and changed and looked great. Scott couldn't resist sweeping her into his arms, causing her to laugh. 

"I take it you liked the show."

"You were amazing." He honestly met it.

Darla smiled as she pulled away. "There's someone I want you to meet."

As Darla stepped back, a purple-skinned woman with clear coloured wings approached. Scott recognized she was an inhuman; transformed by the strange pods. With Black Bolt's death, Medusa was taking charge of rounding up the new inhumans. Scott knew it wasn't an easy task. There were others also after the new inhumans; rounding up the pods before they could hatch. The woman standing in front of Scott had been one of the lucky ones.

"This is Tessa," Darla said. "She's the woman I was trying to save before she got trapped in the pod. She awoken three days ago."

"I wanted to thank you both," she said. "I heard you stayed with me until a rescue team had retrieved my pod."

"We wanted to make sure you were safe," Scott replied. "How are . . . things?"

Tessa smiled as she few up into the air. "I've never been better."

As Scott watched her go, he hugged Darla once again. They had made it through the chaos. The city was recovering and it would continue to do so. Cassie would have been proud. Scott smiled; the city wasn't the only thing who was recovering. He was getting better too.

Focusing on Darla, it was like the entire crowd disappeared for Scott. Forgetting where they were, he kissed her. It was sweet and tender and there was no where else Scott wanted to be. It reaffirmed to him that things were going to be okay. He was looking forward to a future with Darla.


End file.
